The al-Qaeda militants who took over northern Mali imposed their harsh brand of Sharia law. The common wisdom is that the militants' behavior alienated most Malians. But that's not the whole story, as the CBC's Laura Lynch reports.

Fighting is flaring around the Mali city of Gao, despite reports that rebels had ceded the territory to incoming French troops. CBC reporter Laura Lynch just returned from Gao. She tells host Marco Werman that local residents want to French to stay put.

Correspondent Laura Lynch in Mali describes the time she's just spent with a French army convoy on the road to Gao, Mali. Islamists extremists have been pushed out of Gao, but there are still dangers on the road.

Mali's insurgents have been rolled back, pushed out of their strongholds and into the countryside. But residents, tired from the ordeal they lived through, are cautious. Though they're happy they've been ejected, they're concerned it's only a matter of time until they crop up again.

Cheick Modibo Diarra is Mali's new prime minister, at least on an interim basis, and is key to hopes to restore democracy to what had been a very stable African nation. His roots are in Mali, but his education and work brought him to the United States, where he eventually was a key leader on the Mars Pathfinder mission.

Correspondent Laura Lynch in Mali describes the time she's just spent with a French army convoy on the road to Gao, Mali. Islamists extremists have been pushed out of Gao, but there are still dangers on the road.

Fighting is flaring around the Mali city of Gao, despite reports that rebels had ceded the territory to incoming French troops. CBC reporter Laura Lynch just returned from Gao. She tells host Marco Werman that local residents want to French to stay put.

The al-Qaeda militants who took over northern Mali imposed their harsh brand of Sharia law. The common wisdom is that the militants' behavior alienated most Malians. But that's not the whole story, as the CBC's Laura Lynch reports.

Cheick Modibo Diarra is Mali's new prime minister, at least on an interim basis, and is key to hopes to restore democracy to what had been a very stable African nation. His roots are in Mali, but his education and work brought him to the United States, where he eventually was a key leader on the Mars Pathfinder mission.

Mali's insurgents have been rolled back, pushed out of their strongholds and into the countryside. But residents, tired from the ordeal they lived through, are cautious. Though they're happy they've been ejected, they're concerned it's only a matter of time until they crop up again.

Cheick Modibo Diarra is Mali's new prime minister, at least on an interim basis, and is key to hopes to restore democracy to what had been a very stable African nation. His roots are in Mali, but his education and work brought him to the United States, where he eventually was a key leader on the Mars Pathfinder mission.

Correspondent Laura Lynch in Mali describes the time she's just spent with a French army convoy on the road to Gao, Mali. Islamists extremists have been pushed out of Gao, but there are still dangers on the road.

Fighting is flaring around the Mali city of Gao, despite reports that rebels had ceded the territory to incoming French troops. CBC reporter Laura Lynch just returned from Gao. She tells host Marco Werman that local residents want to French to stay put.

The al-Qaeda militants who took over northern Mali imposed their harsh brand of Sharia law. The common wisdom is that the militants' behavior alienated most Malians. But that's not the whole story, as the CBC's Laura Lynch reports.

Cheick Modibo Diarra is Mali's new prime minister, at least on an interim basis, and is key to hopes to restore democracy to what had been a very stable African nation. His roots are in Mali, but his education and work brought him to the United States, where he eventually was a key leader on the Mars Pathfinder mission.

Mali's insurgents have been rolled back, pushed out of their strongholds and into the countryside. But residents, tired from the ordeal they lived through, are cautious. Though they're happy they've been ejected, they're concerned it's only a matter of time until they crop up again.